The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-02-03

IN THE CAREER OF TWO EDU-
GATED YOUNG MEN.
Two Poor Young Men Tell How They
Have Been Benefited by the Aid Civ
en- at the University.
1t has been said-how often that the
University is the college for the sons of
rich men, and it has been believed 1t
may have been so before the war. Of that
somewhat that way on its re-openng We
| cannot say. But as to what it has been
+ for the past few years and what it is to-
day, We can speak with knowledge. There
are at the University more young men of
fortune, probably, than at any other col
lege in the State. This is to be expected,
and We are glad they are there. but they
comprise only q small fraction of the at
/ tendance.
The great bulk OF the boys, however,
are the sons Of poor men. We know
| whereof We affirm. and we know that they
/ have equal advantages with any other
boys in all the advantages of the school.
We could relate a number Of instances of
how poor boys have worked there and how
they have won the entire respect Of teach
ers and fellow pupils and gone out into
the world and attained success.
In a recent publication President Battle
/ gives the following Interesting account of
Two young men who have worked their
way through college The last named
young man writes his own experience and
it is as interesting as the best novel. DR..
Battle says
We have now many worthy men. at
least one hundred, with hands brown with
toll. some cooking for themselves, Others
hiring their own cooks. some on county
appointments free OF tuition. others going
iuto debt for it, with thread bare clothes.
in the cOldest weather without great coats.
lowering over scanty fires, but ith the
flames Of noble resolutions burning III
their breasts. There is one whose left
arm was withered in infancy, who left his
mothers roof at twenty years of age. aS Il
farm laborer at $6 per month, then taught
an humble school, then made his way 10
I the University, whose doors have never
been closed 10 the needy. Amid great
privations he spent a few months in our
/ Glasses. When the spring sun rose he
started out on the thankess but most
honorable business Of a book-agent. He
returned in the Fall with his hard earned
gains. He has Intelligence. He has
pluck He is still at his studies. support
IN himself largely by bis vacation work.
He authorizes me to give his name, L. ".
Lynch of Rutherford
give another case of a young man Of
| Burke county. whose graduating Sleech
at the University was received with roars
of applause, who was then for two years
principal of the High School of Marion.
Bishop Lyman, having seen some of his
drawings, and being struck with their
| 3prlt. advised him to take a courie in the
consenting procured admission for him.
He won rapid promotion in that school
and has been chosen on recommendation
of his principal teacher, instructor in
drawing in a city school. He has just
sent me an account Of his successful strug
giles for an education, written at my re-
quest, and as it throws light on the man
ners of our students, and is creditable
to him, | give it entire:
Mr.. Randali'> Experience at the Uni
versity.
The middle of November, 1879, found
me an awkward farm boy of nineteen. l
had worked on the farm since | was large
enough to use a hoe and | plOwed a sum
mer or two before | could lift the ploW
around at the end of the furrow, dragging
it around. Till | was seventeen, | had
only attended free schools Il few months
during the winter, sometimes walking as
far as three and half miles through rain
and snow. | was at last fortunate enough
to be able to attend a good private school
cat Table Rock pretty regularly tor near
" tw) years. working during the making
of the crops. Concluding that l was get
ting older faster than | was getting an ed
ucation, | determined to go to the Unlver-
sitv and see what could do. | intended,
if | could do no better, to get work in the
village during the day, study at night and
recite to any of the Professors who might
be willing to help me IN my studies. Hav-
ing a cousin who was of the same mind as
myself, except he had chosen to 90 to
Trinity we got some bread and meat for
lunches, bundled up some clothes, and set
out to walk, la,e in the afternoon of Tues
q, " We walked about ten miles, and
slept on some planks in an unfinished
school house by the roadside. We could
not afford to pay lodgings, as my cousin
had only three or four dollars and | had
about three. Next morning we passed
through Lenoir, Caldwell county, and
walked about thirty five miles. AT dark
we were so tired and feeling III low spirits
we tried to get a bed at some of the houses
on the road and were turned off again and
IL,
were taken in and slept in a bed that
night The next day we passed Wilkes
boro and went into Iadkin county. We
found that the train which we intended
taking at Winston, left during the after
I. noon for Greensboro, and if we did not
reach Winso on Friday in time for II we
could not reach our destination Saturday.
This meant that we must walk most of
Thursday night. About dark | gave out
from walking and carrying heavy valise.
We started fire in the woods by the road
and lay down in pile of shavings where
shingles had been made till about mid
night. By that time my legs had quit
aching and | felt well enough to 90 on.
We walked on and crossed the iadkin
river about daylight. 1 think that it was
, about two or three o'clock when we
reached the depot at Winston, tired and
foot-sore. We parted in Greensboro that
night, my cousin went on the train for
Trinity and was left alone. He staid at
Trinity about month and returned home.
!. found a grove not far from the depot,
scraped up some leaves and lay down with
my valise for pillow at the foot of a
large oak. did not sleep soundly, felt
the chill and heard the shrieks of the No
vembar wind even in my dreams.
Next morning | walked out Of the town
and found ii little stream where | could
wash my face. ] was a~ha'ned to be seen
washing at any of the town pumps. Ny
provisions being out, l bought two ham
sandwiches for ten cents and had feast
preparatory to entering the University.
honuht a ticket TO HiIiShOr, and walked